1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related generally to a portable telephone holder and more specifically to a portable telephone holder with a mounting base that is configured and sized to fit into typical conventional cup holders in automobiles and other vehicles and with an elongated shelf for supporting a portable telephone.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Portable, or cellular, telephones operate by using networks of short range transmitters located in overlapping cells throughout a geographical region. Telephone calling signals to and from the portable telephone are switched automatically from one transmitter to another as the telephone travels among adjoining cells. Such cellular systems have made use of portable telephones in automobiles and other vehicles very common. However, stowing such portable telephones in vehicles is somewhat of a problem, because portable telephones should be easily accessible to drivers, yet secure enough to keep them from tumbling around in vehicles during starts, stops, and other vehicle motions. Some vehicle manufacturers build portable telephone docking apparatus into their interior accouterments, such as in consoles or compartments in the seats, but most vehicles do not have such facilities. There are myriad telephone mounting devices available, but most of them require some permanent or semi-permanent attachment to the floorboard, dashboard, or other structural component of the vehicle. Most drivers do not have either the skills required or the inclination to make such attachments, thus requiring the services of skilled technicians to install such telephone mounting equipment, and once installed, they cannot be moved conveniently from one vehicle to another.
Many portable telephones are also equipped with flexible clips that can be hooked onto a belt, a pocket, or other location, to free up the user's hands for other purposes. However, hooking the portable telephone onto a belt is most practical when the person is standing or walking, not while the user is seated and particularly not while the user is also operating a vehicle.